Some players will always thirst for even greater challenges. It doesn't matter how many hydras they've slain, golems they've smashed, or demons they've obliterated; they're always in search of stronger and smarter opponents against whom to test their skills.
In Diablo Immortal, the most dangerous opponent comes in the form of other players. Once the main story has been completed and the player has grown bored with bounty hunting, killing world bosses, and butchering legions of mobs, many turn to the PvP Battlegrounds mode for a new challenge. Here are some pro tips to give players the best chance at reigning supreme in Diablo Immortal.
Updated on January 6th, 2023 by Hodey Johns:
12 Dump Useless Stats
Several stats that are perfect for smashing the game's many PvE mobs are far less useful when it comes to PvP. In Battlegrounds, Block Chance is reduced to 20%, and Critical Hit Chance is reduced to 10% against other players. This means that anything that focuses on buffing those stats above those values is wasting its time.
Don't waste valuable item slots prioritizing stats that are just going to be auto-nerfed by the Battlegrounds mode itself. The duration of harmful effects such as Freeze and Stun are also reduced by 50% against other players, so other options are simply better.
11 Watch The Mini-Map
Every moment not spent in gripping combat should be entirely spent focusing on the mini-map. Watch the team to see what objective they're going for and join them. It's hard to get killed in the middle of a bunch of blue icons.
Offensively, some enemies try to be "sneaky" and part from their group to get around to the back of the other side. Their red dot gives them away, though. These players are easy to pick off for those who watch the mini-map and communicate the straggler to the rest of their squad.
10 Spread Out Skills
In PvE, it is often helpful to invest everything into one skill tree to get to the deep rewards on the far right. In PvP, there is little reason to do so. Of course, all the skills are valuable, but the most valuable skills for PvP players tend to be located in the first few columns.
Different builds will value different skills. Extra damage for DPS builds and protection for others are a plus. If gamers feel restricted to a single tree, they should resist the urge to over-specialize and get what is most valuable and least expensive.
9 Get Used To Bandages
While roaming the wilds of Sanctuary and engaging in PvE fights the player has access to three healing potions on a cooldown. In Battlegrounds, healing potions are taken away and replaced with Bandages. This change is small but important.
Unlike healing potions which can be popped on the fly, Bandages require the player to stand still for about five seconds while they heal and can only be used when not in combat. Worse, Bandages have a 20-second cooldown after use. Players who have gotten used to tanking a nasty hit or two only to patch themselves up a second later while fireballs and arrows are still flying will need to adjust their strategies to this new reality.
8 Play A Role
Players familiar with team-oriented titles like League of Legends and Overwatch will immediately understand the importance of knowing one's role on the battlefield, but a player accustomed to soloing everything in Sanctuary may not. Every class is good at something, whether it's tanking damage, dishing out huge DPS, or supporting other teammates.
Knowing what role suits one's class and build best makes a huge difference, and players that lean into their strengths instead of trying to buck them will fair far better in Battlegrounds.
7 Switch The Build
Because of the caps to certain stats, the versatility of other players compared to mobs, and the unique objectives of Battlegrounds mode, the build that served the player so well in PvE will not be nearly as effective in PvP. It can be disheartening to watch a build that obliterated random skeletons and wolves fail to put a dent in the enemy Crusader, but that's part of the learning process.
The best plan is to design a unique loadout for PvP from the bottom up, orienting all the player's skills, gear, and gems toward their new objective. A Necromancer who never gave Bone Wall a second thought while killing spiders in the swamp may give it a second look when they're trying to hold back a raging Barbarian.
6 Understand Class Matchups
There's a reason that Demon Hunters don't stand toe-to-toe with Barbarians. Given that some classes are oriented towards tanking while others are oriented towards DPS or support, it's natural that when two characters clash in the field, one may be at a natural advantage simply because of their role.
Understanding how the different classes match up against one another is important so that a weak support character isn't one-shotted by a brutal DPS strike. Whether the player's ideal position is on the frontline, mid-rank, or backline, they should always be positioning themselves so that they can perform their role.
5 Study Skills
Just as some skills that shine in PvE are less effective against other players, some skills that seem lackluster against random Sanctuary mobs can take on new life in the tactical mayhem of Battlegrounds. Skills that aren't incredible on their own may synergize well with those of teammates, allowing new strategies to develop.
DPS and AoE skills tend to be straightforward: they're the abilities that let the player kill their enemies as quickly as possible, whether by cutting down a single large target or battering an entire group. Skills that enhance movement, allow the player to control or alter the environment, or provide other unique effects require more experimentation for ideal combos to develop. The player should take time to understand what their character brings to the table.
4 Prepare For The Fight
What happens on the battlefield matters, but what happens before ever stepping onto the battlefield matters almost as much. Whether it's strategizing with one's team, tweaking gear and skills to shift from PvE to PvP, or studying Battleground mode to better understand things like class matchups and character placement, there are many ways to prepare for the fight before it ever happens.
To be sure, nothing beats having plenty of experience in actual matches, but there are plenty of ways to prepare before jumping in.
3 Focus On The Objective
Battlegrounds aren't just about destroying enemy players; they're about completing objectives. Battlegrounds pit a team of Attackers against a team of Defenders. Though many players play PvP because the only thing they care about is fighting other players, getting into an endless series of skirmishes without actually completing the team's objective is a recipe for a loss, not victory.
It doesn't matter how many fights the player wins if they're letting the team objective slip through their grasp at every turn, so make sure to remain focused on advancing towards and destroying objectives as the Attackers or protecting those objectives as the Defenders.
2 Retreat Before Dying
A death is never worth it. Players that die contribute nothing to team fights or objectives. The risk is understandably enticing; picking off a player behind enemy lines feels like a big score. But if it comes at the price of dying, stick to safety.
If the action gets too hot, back off for a second and get some assistance from bandages and the support characters. Players will be back in the action much quicker and contribute toward the goals.
1 Stick With The Team
Even if the team appears to go off task, it's better to stick with them than to get picked off alone. The objectives on the battlefield go down quicker when the squad is at full strength. It's more beneficial to the team to be an active 0-0 than a flashy 13-13. Think of it like completing a challenge rift where death and defeat are virtually synonymous.
Think of it in simple terms. If nobody is separate from the group, nobody can get ganked. If nobody can get picked off, the enemy team will have players with builds that rely on picking people off who are now effectively removed from the game.
Diablo Immortal is available on Mobile and PC.